The Game We're Playing
by Giovanna.B
Summary: Tsuna celebrates his 18th birthday in Italy along with his guardians. Hibari's only reason for coming to Italy was to get his revenge on Mukuro. What he quickly notices is that Mukuro likes to play games, so Hibari plays along, but for how long?
1. Ready, Set, Play!

_The first chapter of ''The Game We're Playing'' is here! I still haven't decided which pairing I like best, Hibari x Mukuro or Hibari x Chrome. But, I have a slight feeling it might turn into a shonen-ai/yaoi kinda fanfiction. So, in case you're not quiet fond of boy on boy fanfictions, the please don't read for your own safety.  
As usually, I **DO NOT** own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of it's characters. All the copyright goes to miss Akira Amano! But I will take credit for the idea, of course.  
So please enjoy!_  
_  
_

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~The Game We're Playing~

_Chapter One_

I was playing with fire, and I knew it was going to burn me one day, but that risk I was ready to take. The heat within me was growing whenever she was around. The first time I had laid my eyes on that innocent face of hers, I couldn't take them off. When she wasn't around, the silence was driving me crazy. Chrome. That was her name. I could never forget it, nor could I ever approach her and say something. She was a mystery to me, and yet I knew so much about her. She was one of that No-Good-Tsuna's subordinates, and yet she belonged to him. The one that embarrassed me like I've never been embarrassed before. How could he? How could he do something like that to me, the head of the disciplinary committee? Mukuro. Rokudo Mukuro. Pronouncing that name gave me a bitter aftertaste, and yet I liked it. He was just as fascinating as Chrome was. Sadly I didn't know much about him. That drove me to different heights; I wanted to know. I wanted to know everything about him, but my only connection with him, was her, Chrome.

Tonight was Tsuna's birthday celebration, and he flew us down to Italy to celebrate along with the Vongola IX boss. The one who has the lead over the Vongola, until it was Tsuna's time to take over. Like Tsuna would ever be able to be a boss. First it took me some time to understand the Mafia-game that we used to play, that it actually was a real thing. At the beginning, I had mixed feeling about it, but it was better than sitting around at the conference room all day and waiting for the fun to come to you. Crowds; I still couldn't stand them, but agreeing to be one of the mafia gave ma chance to bite whoever I wanted to death. There were plenty of opportunities. And maybe this would also let us meet again. It was his country and his language. I had this uneasy feeling when first hearing of Italy. Of entering his grounds. It gave me goosebumps thinking about the fact that we would be so close, and yet I was excited about it. That would mean that I would get my revenge for that time.

---

They were annoying, but I still had to live through the flight with the rest of Tsuna's subordinates. They were so loud and happy, and it was getting on my nerves, but it was worth it, knowing that he was my real goal for coming to Italy. Somehow I really had taken some liking to Mukuro. He was a real opponent, who didn't fear me. This dance we were dancing was fun, and yet dangerous like poison. It was the dance of life and death with some pleasure at the side.

Arriving at the mansion, the sun had already taken its leave for the day. While Kusakabe carried the suitcase inside, I took the privilege to look around the grounds outside. While the lamps were already illuminated around the house, I, instead of following the illuminated path, took the one less bright. What is the point of challenges if they weren't dangerous? The path led me to something that seemed to be a botanical garden. I couldn't be sure, because it was hard to see anything in the dim light. What led me to think of a botanical garden, was the strong smell of olive trees and a mix of oregano and basil. The fresh Italy breeze sent those intoxicating smells all around me, giving me shivers all over my body. At a night like this, I even managed to forget my jacket in the car. Feeling this heavy atmosphere floating around, I walked the same way back, until I reached the table and two chairs I saw on my first trip along this path. I sat down on one of the chairs next to the one lonely lamp that was lighting up most of the area. I waited. Waited for a sign of his presence, because I knew he was there. I had noticed the second I got out of the car. It was too silent for a Mafia Headquarter to be. And considering the celebration party that was taking place in a few hours, something didn't seem right.

He was close, I could feel him. His smell was there and he knew that I knew. I gave away a small smirk to myself, before speaking out, _"So. How long are you going to let me wait?"_ There was a breeze that blew right my way, messing with my hair and the leaves of the nearby trees. His gentle laughter spread from one end to the other with the wind. I slowly leaned my head backward, so I could see the sky. It was full of bright starts, and so many questions with no answers. _"Soon. We'll meet very soon again, my dear Hibari."_ With the next breeze those soft words of his disappeared.

Finding my way back to the mansion, the last preparations were getting ready. Everyone seemed to be busy, so it was awfully crowded. I took my leave to what seemed to be my room. Entering it, I found it had quite an old, but yet a very exclusive style. The huge bed was placed in the middle of the room with several silk covers in black. While the heavy curtains in gold covered most of the huge windows, a lamp on the mahogany desk was lit, giving the room some light. Kusakabe had already brought my suitcase to the room for me. I slowly undid my tie and started to undress. It had been quite a long flight from Japan to Italy and I definitely needed a shower. From the suitcase that was placed in front of the desk, I grabbed a black satin towel, and made the way to my private shower. It had been a long day of sitting, so I chose the shower over the big bathtub. Throwing the last piece of clothing off, I stepped into the shower and put the hot water on. I let it flow freely down my body, letting it warm me. Sometimes I really missed this warm feeling of being touched so gently. It sent shivers down my back to my toes.

---

_While Hibari was relaxing after a long day, the preparations were coming to an end for the celebration of the future Vongola X boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi's eighteenth birthday. The celebration party was held at the Vongola main headquarter and home of the present Vongola IX boss, Timoteo. To show that Tsuna was ready to become the future Vongola X boss, the party was held in Italy so he could be presented to his soon-to-be subordinate families as a trustworthy boss. The six guardians were invited, as well as their families and their friends. Even the Varia and it's boss Xanxus came to show their respect to Tsuna, but they would still never acknowledge him as their boss. Their faith was still in the present boss, Timoteo, Xanxus' adoptive father. _

_The guests were starting to arrive; women and men. All with high positions within their families. Everyone was dressed in the most fines and expensive dresses and suits. Even Dino of the Chiavorone Family and his subordinates were attending an even such as this. Being the right-hand-family of the Vongola was something special to be proud of. _

---

Coming out of the steamy shower with the towel around my waist and water still dripping down from my hair, I felt my body shiver and shake when I entered the bedroom once again. It was when I noticed that the balcony door was wide open and the curtains were being torn forth and back with the night wind. Finding nobody when looking around the room, I hurried over to the door and closed it. I took another look outside before closing the curtains together as well. Kusakabe had already prepared my suit for tonight's celebration; it was laying on the desk, ready for use. I tugged the towel off me and threw it on the bed; finding a pair of new boxers to put on. The white suit pants were looking so clean, and I was a bit scared I would ruin them tonight. Throwing that though away, I put them on anyway and reached for the towel again to dry my hair. It was when I noticed the note on my bed. It was a white card folded in half. In a quiet nice woman's handwriting it said "_Hibari_" with black ink on top. Grabbing the towel first to dry my hair, I picked the card up with my other hand and flipped it open to read the text inside.

"_It had been a long time, Hibari. And tonight we might meet again. So, how about we play some hide-and-seek before the main game begins?"_

Giving away a little smile, I got dressed and forced myself down to the crowded celebration party with Kusakabe. _"He wanted a little warm-up before the game, so why not give him one?"_ was the last though that stroke my mind before entering the grand ballroom.

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_If you've made it this far, then that would mean that you're done with the chapter. So what did you think? Please review and tell me what you think about my writing, and the story. It would help me improve the best way I can._

PS: Id you have any ideas of how this might continue, then please tell me. It would be nice to hear your opinion as well! Thank you!


	2. His Property

_So, you being here again, must only mean, that you liked the first chapter?! Well, I am honored that you took your time to check out Chapter 2 as well. So, thank you!  
As usually, I still **DO NOT **own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or it's characters, but I still wished I did, though. All the copyright goes to miss Akira Amano!_

The game has begun, and Hibari decided to play along. What Mukuro doesn't know, or maybe he does?, is that Hibari also plays his own game.

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~The Game We're Playing~

_Chapter Two_

The grand ballroom was crowded with people; women and men. Even if they all belonged to the different Mafia Families withing Vongola, they still seemed to be happy being together at an event such as this. Trying to find my way around, Kusakabe had already caught up with Tsuna and his friends. Being the main guests of this party, we all had to wear white. It irritated me to the bone that I had to look just like them, but I had only one goal at this moment. Behind that hot-headed Gokudera and Yamamoto, Chrome was standing along with Bianchi. Her hair was pulled up behind while some small parts covered her ears. She used to be very uncomfortable around people, but now she seemed to have gotten used to it. Her dress was white, just like our suits. It was a silk dress that reached her down to her knees. I found it quite funny, how I managed to see all the small details on her. One of them was the bracelet she was wearing. It had the number_ "69"_ engraved on it. I smiled to myself when I noticed it and accidentally drew the attention to myself. All of a sudden did I have a pair of six eyes looking at me in confusion and no answer to give. _"Whatever it is you want, I'll bite you to death"_ escaped my mouth. All three nervously straightened up. At that moment the relaxing music was cut, and Tsuna was called to have a speech.

This was my moment to escape the enthusiastic crowd of people, so I did. I left Kusakabe behind so he could report to me later if anything interesting had happened while I was gone. Most of the guards were attending the celebration at the ballroom, so it was easy to move around the mansion without being questioned all the time. I found my way from the west end of the mansion to the far east block of the headquarter. It was 30 °C inside so the big balcony was all open for the cold air to stream in. Walking out to get some fresh air; the huge crowd was a bit too suffocating for me, I noticed that the handrail was out of white marble and gave away a little smile. _"These people really do know what style is"_ went through my head, before I heard the wind blow through the heavy leaves of the trees.

"_Excuse me?"_ came from behind. I first though it was him; turning in shock, only to notice it was her. Chrome. I first looked a bit dumbfounded, but then snapped to my old self.

"_What do you want?"_ escaped my mouth, before I could control the sharpness of the words. I noticed she jumped up a bit, and regretted at once for saying it in such a sharp way. It took a few long seconds before she answered back.

"_I was wondering if I could join you out there"_ she asked, still staying at the entrance to the balcony with her hands folded together in front of her. It was the first time we had something that seemed to continue into a conversation only between the two of us. I didn't want to scare her again, so I only gave away a small nod. Turning away to look out again, I heard her approach with small steps; it sounded more like she was floating on the air than walking.

I knew it could be dangerous to be around his property, but he said he wanted to play a little warm-up before the main game, so why not play? We stood in silence letting the wind have it's way with our hair and clothing. Her dress was thin and I noticed at once that she was shivering. I could easily break my hard appearance and be nice to her or just let her freeze. Listening to the wind mix with the echo of the music from the party, I decided to let my guard down and be nice while no one way looking. Unbuttoning my suit jacket slowly and placing it over her pale shoulders gently, I received a innocent look from her. _"You're cold, so don't strangle yourself,"_ I told her, while pulling my tie lose a bit. She was probably embarrassed, but I could still hear a small _"Thanks"_, from underneath her breath.

We stood in silence for what seemed to be several long minutes. So many things went through my head; so many things I wanted to ask her about him, but I didn't know where to start. To my surprise, she was the first one break the cold ice between us.

"_You're here because of him, aren't you?" _She didn't take her eyes of the sky full of starts for one second. My eyes widened in shock at her question, but I laughed it away.

"_What might lead you to think that?"_ was my counter question to her. She had grown much in the last three years, so she was ready to play this kind of hide-and-seek game.

She gave away a smile before inhaling some of the fresh air and tightening my jacket around her body. _"It was just a feeling I got,"_ she replied spacing out into the dark night with something that seemed to be a serious expression on her face. It was hard to replay anything to that, so I took a step forward to the burning fire.

"_Would you like to dance?"_ I offered, stretching my right hand out. If I was right, then this hide-and-seek game would end soon, so why not take advantage of the situation when it was going to my favor?

Looking at me like I had said something wrong, her expression changed from serious to happy, within no time._ "Why not?"_ she replied with a smile and reached out; gently tracing over my palm with her cold fingers, before she place her hand into mine. With my left hand I put her other hand gently on my shoulder; not taking my eyes of hers. I then placed my left hand on her lower back and we slowly began swaying to the music. Even with high heels, she was a head shorter than me, which gave me the upper hand on whatever she tried on.

"_You won't be able to win the game you're playing,"_ she spoke softly, noticing the curious look I gave her. _Could she possibly know? Could she know the danger she was giving herself in to? Maybe he was using her to bring me off the course? No. He would never put her into any kind of danger. He wouldn't dare._

I decided it was the right moment to speak, so I asked playfully, _"People play games all the time, but which one are you speaking of?"_ I seemed to hit the right place, since her action was something different from what I thought would happen. Her eyes went from my face, down to her feet. One second before she was able to hide her face I noticed a small blush on it. It stroked my mind that this girl might have taken some liking to me, but before I could say anything, Kusakabe's appearance broke our silence.

"_Hibari-san. I got a note for you, with the message 'It is urgent'." _

Taking my eyes of him and looking down at her, I couldn't find any right words that could fit what I was feeling at the moment. The first thing that went through my mind, was how I should bite Kusakabe to death for disturbing my silence with this girl. I pushed those thoughts quickly away, as Chrome let go of my hand. She took the jacket off, handing it gently to me._ "Thank you for the dance. It was quiet nice,"_ she replied, bowing softly without looking at me, and walked inside again. She gave Kusakabe a small smile and hurried down the bright hallway.

While taking my jacket on again; feeling the warmth left behind by her, I could hear Kusakabe cleaning his throat while approaching. Without thinking too much about it, I punched him so hard that he fell down on the ground in one instant. _"Don't you know that I hate to be disturbed?" _I asked, while giving him a look I knew would send shivers thought everyones body.

He got up; brushing the dirt off his suit, handing me the note. It was the exact same I found when I came out of the shower. It had the same woman's handwriting saying _"Hibari"_ inblack ink. I flipped it open and read the text:

"_If you thought your little act with my Chrome would make me jealous, then you were wrong. This warm-up game could be more fun than what I expected. I think it's time to give you your next clue, my cute Hibari. Knowledge is unstoppable."_

Anger was floating through me, making my blood boil. I handed Kusakabe the note again, making my way inside again. Stopping at the entrance, I tuned back again, _"Nobody else knows about that note."_ With that warning, I made my way back to my room at the third floor. Once inside I threw my jacket onto the bed, while still tugging at the tie, making my way to the bathroom. Finally getting the tie loose; pulling it off and unbuttoning the two upper buttons, I turned the sink on. I waited for the water to get cold, before splashing my face with it several times. Reaching out for the towel on the wall; drying my face, I walked out to the bedroom, without even bothering to look at myself in the mirror. Taking the black shirt off too, I laid down onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling with my arms crossed behind my head. With a few minutes of silence, I finally let out a small laugh.

"_Knowledge is unstoppable. What are your intentions, Mukuro?" _

_Those were the last words Hibari spoke that night, before dazing off to a calm sleep. About the same time, the party had ended and the guests were leaving the Vongola mansion. Yamamoto, Gokudera and Ryohei helped Tsuna with all the presents he received for his birthday, to his bedroom. Everyone else was also making their way to their rooms after a long day full of excitement. Chrome was already fast asleep in her own room, with a special guardian watching over her._

"_My Chrome. My cute little Chrome. You've become a fine young lady. And every lady needs someone in her heart."  
_

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_Another chapter done! How do you think it went this time? Review and speak your mind!  
I also realized that I managed to have Hibari show his nice side here, but I mean, he actually does have one! Sadly no one has ever seen it, but Chrome in the future arc! So please don't kill me just yet, I will make him more manly later D  
_


	3. Worthy Opponent

_Hi again everyone!_  
_I would like to apologize for taking so long to update this story. School started way too soon and before I knew it, I was drowning in homework and stuff that had to be handed in. I hope you're not angry with me...?_

_As uasual, __**Katekyo Hitman Reborn! **__and all the characters belong to __**Akira Amano!**__ I'd like to take credit for the idea of course.

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_

~The Game We're Playing~

_Chapter Three  
[Worthy opponent]  
_

The sun had already broken through the thick curtains and was tickling my face gently, when I slowly started coming back to myself. It was warm and yet so quiet. Last night, a lot of things happened and not everything went according to my plan. Rules were there to be broken and he sure loved to break them. Finally deciding to get out of bed; rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I dragged myself slowly to the bathroom. My hair was messy and my suit pants got wrinkled through the night. I looked like a mess, so I decided to take an early shower. Within no time, the steam surrounded me; the warm water was gentle, just like yesterday. It was warm and free. Washing away the rest of the soap, I got ready for the breakfast. Shaking the rest of the water from my hair, I made my way downstairs.

I saw Kusakabe mingling with the rest of the Vongola; deciding not to take part, I gave Tsuna a look of discomfort. He caught it at once and instructed everyone to the dining room. Kusakabe stayed behind, and we walked in together. I liked how he portrayed the role of a bodyguard. We've known each other for so many years, and Kusakabe still knew what I was thinking in certain situations.

Once inside the dining room, I received one of my first shocks this morning; it was huge. There was a big oval table in the middle of the room, with antique chairs on both sides. This room reminded me more of the strategy room from the future, only a lot bigger. While my look was placed at the open balcony, I quietly found my place and seated down. On my right I had that baseball nut, Yamamoto, and on my left, Kusakabe sat quietly as usually. Italy was known for great food and very positive company, so I hoped this morning would turn out better than how last had night gone by. Breakfast was served on the finest Chinese porcelain I've seen in a long time. On today's menu was Italian pasta with basil and olive sauce on top and warm fresh homemade bread on the side. It smelled just like my trip to the botanical garden yesterday, giving me small goose bumps. I gave it a smile and took the first bite. The taste was something I haven't tasted in a long time. No wonder; when you've got used to the noodle soups in Japan, you couldn't know of anything else. On the other hand, the taste of pasta was something new, and to my surprise, it actually tasted good.

The breakfast went smoothly, with no big interferences. It looked like the day was getting better and better, until I noticed that Chrome was uncomfortably staring down at her food. Her pasta wasn't even touched a bit. This made me think of the note I received last night. Once everyone was done with the breakfast, they decided to take the day off and take a look at the town. I asked Kusakabe for the note once again, before giving him the day off as well. When everyone else had left, I hurried up to my room and changed into a pair of more comfortable pants and a t-shirt; throwing my white suit pants and the black silk shirt to laundry.

Reading the words again, "_Knowledge is unstoppable,"_ gave me shivers that went through my whole body. "_What does he know?" _were my first thoughts. I found out that sitting in my room wouldn't give any answers, so I went out to investigate the Vongola Headquarters many rooms of mystery. Every door had antique designs on and some of them were even locked, which was no shock to me, considering that this was the legendary Vongola Headquarter. Those doors that weren't locked were either small storage rooms or empty bedrooms. Finding no answers here either, I made my trip all the way to the top of the mansion. Heading out on the huge balcony, the sun first blinded my sight, but I soon got used to it. The first sight surprised me. It was simply beautiful. You could see the whole town with its many inhabitants bellow the mansion. Different shades of blue painted the sky, and every now and then a singing bird flew over this enormous space of freedom. Clouds were nowhere to be seen, and it seemed to be a perfect start of the day.

---

_While Hibari was making his way up and down the mysterious hallways of the Vongola Headquarters, the rest of Tsuna's guardians decided to take a trip to the beach. The sun was set high up and the heat was driving everyone to the cold water. Bianchi treated Haru, Kyoko and Chrome with some cold ice cream. The perfect start of summer was here._

_Finding his way around the mansion was easy by now. Hibari had memorized the hallways and rooms, but none of that gave him any clue to Mukuro's riddle._

_---_

Tired of all the walking I had done the last hours, I stopped at the library to have a small rest. It was the quietest place in the whole mansion; even the guards wouldn't bother you here. The shelves were crowded with books and most of them seemed to be covered by a heavy layer of dust. I sat down on one of the chairs that seemed most comfortable and rested my eyes for a moment. "_Knowledge is unstoppable. We are learning all the time, so in was only naturally to say that knowledge was unstoppable. However, what kind of knowledge were you thinking of?" _I asked myself that question all day, but I still had no clue to what he meant.

Rubbing my forehead, I opened my eyes again to look around. The library was the only place I haven't checked out completely. I doubted I'd find anything else her, but shelves of books covered with layers and layers of dust. Shelves of books? "_Knowledge is unstoppable,"_ I spoke loudly to myself. A playful smile played on my lips. I had arrived at my destination. "_Books contained knowledge. And as long there were books, the knowledge was unstoppable,"_ I spoke again. Jumping off my current position in the chair, I took one of the closest shelves under my inspection. Nothing caught my eye, but the heavy dust. I looked around several shelves, but still no clue. At first, I was about to give up, until I noticed a bunch of books piled together on the far end of the library. I wouldn't even have noticed them, if I hadn't looked down at the floor this time. I approached the pile slowly and bend down to take a closer look. Most of the books were in Italian, containing what seemed to be the past history of Vongola. The books looked quiet heavy so I pushed them slowly off the other small books that were underneath. It was when I noticed an article from three years ago. The date corresponded the same date to when Mukuro and his crew staged a jailbreak and escaped from one of Italy's high security prisons and arrived Japan. Next, the hell happened to my beautiful Namimori.

There was only one picture on that page. Facing it were Ken and Chikusa; Mukuro's right hands, and Lanchia. However, Mukuro's picture was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't even a surprise to me, considering the fact that he was one of the most dangerous people walking this earth now. Underneath the picture I read:

"_This jailbreak led to an escape of eight people, where one of them was Rokudo Mukuro. This man and his members are highly dangerous and wouldn't hesitate in killing people who came in their way."_

I didn't even bother reading the rest of the article, already knowing its outcome. Flipping the page; to my surprise, I found another note, just like the two others I received. This time I hesitated before picking it up; taking a quick glance around. When noticing nobody, I picked it up and read the insides:

"_It took you quiet some time to figure out this one, maybe I was wrong about you being a worthy opponent?"_

There was no anger in those words of his, but it still gave me a heavy feeling on my chest. "_Was this game over? Didn't he want to play anymore? Had I missed his clues?" _At this moment, I was rather confused than happy over figuring the clue. Sitting around the library didn't answer any of my new questions, so I decided to leave this place of silence. Taking a few heavy breaths, I placed the books back into the missing space in the shelf and made my way out; turning the light off before leaving the library.

Lost in my confusion, I didn't notice that Tsuna and his friends had returned from the beach by now. "_Hibari? Hibari?"_ Hearing somebody call my name, I snapped out of my thoughts, feeling too many pairs of eyes to count on me. "_What?"_ I snapped back at the voice. Noticing everyone jumping up a bit, I called out again, this time in a more quiet tone. "_Anything you wanted?" _Tsuna was the first to speak; saying that dinner was soon, as well wondering if I was going to attend it. Giving away a small nod, he took my response quickly and instructed his friends to the dining room like he had done this morning, knowing my feelings concerning crowds. Hearing my name being called again, I turned around, finding Kusakabe giving me a slight look of confusion. "_Is everything okay Hibari-san?"_ Finding no right words to answer with, I shook my head up and down slowly; heading into the dining room after the rest. I noticed Kusakabe wasn't quite happy with my answer, so I called after him. "_If you worry too much, I might have to bite you too death." _My warnings were very common to him, so he quickly followed after with a more nervous look on his face.

Dinner came and everyone from this morning was present. There was laughter and yelling, yet it didn't bother me this time. I had too many questioned in my head and I was desperately searching for answers. Feeling a pair of gentle eyes on me, I looked up, only to find Chrome looking curiously at me. Giving her a small smile, I went back to my dinner. In the last second I noticed her face turn bright pink, but didn't give it much thought. She was a girl after all; they get shy about everything.

_The dinner came and it went by just as fast. Most of the members that were at beach the whole day, were so exhausted and decided to have a calm evening; watching television in one of the big rooms that could be compared to a huge living room. Hibari was still full of confusion and decided to take it easy too. Not feeling tired yet; he decided to get some fresh air at one of the balconies that surrounded the mansion. Finding out fast that he wasn't the only one who was in confusion, when Chrome asked to join him._

As I stood there in silence with her, it made me forget all of my worries about him. Even if they shared a life, they were still so different. There was something about her I couldn't compare to him. With no warning I heard her speak for the first time today. "_How do you feel?" _I found myself staring blankly at her. She often managed to surprise me and leave me speechless like this. When noticing that there wouldn't be any answer coming from me, she spoke again. "_It seemed like something was bothering you all day." _I wasn't sure if she stopped because she was intimidated by me or maybe she was scared of something else. Instead of letting her feel more uncomfortable, I decided to answer her question. "_Your Mukuro has been playing quiet dangerous games, until he decided that I maybe wasn't a worthy opponent for him," _I explained, not bothering to look at her this time; putting my guard up.

We stood another few minutes in silence; none of us knowing what to say to break this frozen ice between us once again. Mentioning his name was quiet hard for both of us, and it often caused this silence to occur. I didn't notice that she took something out of her jacket and slid it over the cold marble hand railing, before our fingers met. "_He left this for you in case you lost the previous game," _she spoke slowly with a soft voice this time. Looking down, I found a note with her name on, "_Chrome." _Picking it up, I wasn't sure if I should open it, until her she told me to. She had a small smile on her face, encouraging me continue.

"_A game can have a winner and a loser. Unfortunately Hibari lost this game. Chrome, my precious Chrome, I would like you to give him this note when the time feels right."_

I took my eyes off the note and looked at her for a moment before speaking out, "_You knew about our game, and yet you decide to play along?" _As my face got more and more confused, hers went happier for every second. "_If it's for Mukuro, I'd do anything to please him. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm very tired." _She tightened her jacket around her slender body and walked back inside again. Waiting until she was out of my sight, I decided to read the rest.

"_There are often second chances in life and I'm certainly not a person who'd give anyone one. On the other hand, if it's for my cute Hibari, I can always make an exception. Sadly, our previous game wasn't quiet satisfying for me, so I'd like to play another one. This time your clue would be less difficult. Everyone needs water to live, but only one flower blooms from the water."_

A smirk played on my lips when I closed the note again; finding the heavy weight on my chest disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. "_I had lost once, but I won't lose again. I was a_ _worthy opponent of his after all." _It had gotten quiet late already, so it was only naturally for me to head to bed. I placed the note on my nightstand while changing to my pajama. Out of exhaustion I had fallen asleep in my suit pants last night, but tonight I won't be doing the same mistake. Crawling under the cold cowers; I took a quick glance at the ceiling, before turning to the side and closing my eyes slowly. I dazed off to sleep within no time.

_By the time Hibari had fallen asleep, somewhere in Italy the world's most dangerous man was planning his next step. He loved games; sadly they didn't last so long when his opponents were weak. Fortunately for him, he had taken some liking to Hibari. He was a worthy opponent. It looked like this game was about to be more fun for both sides._

_

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Looks like you're finally done. I realized this chapter got a bit longer than the previous two. Sorry about that.  
Anyway, be nice and review. It's always nice to hear (in this case, read) what other people think._

_I cannot promise when the next chapter will be posted, because senior year is so hard. But I will do my best anyway!_


	4. The pawn that once turned into a queen

_Once again, a new day, a new chapter. I did my best to find time to upload this chapter. My computer is on reparation and I'm kinda lonely, and my school laptop is just plain crappy. ;A;  
Buuuut, I did my best for those of you who do read this story and I hope you're enjoying it. _

_As we all know, _**Katekyo Hitman Reborn **_and all its characters belong to _**Akira Amano.**_ But we all still wish we owned some of it so we could make the characters act out our most dirtiest fantasies._

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~The Game We're Playing~  
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Chapter Four_

She was just a pawn; an item ready to be sacrificed. Though, her time wasn't here yet; she wasn't just _any_ item, she was_ his _item. This made her special, but not for long. She was going to be used, like the pawn she was, just like he used my beautiful Namimori in his sick game. Of course, there was a trick to every game, and that's what made it so much more interesting. The pawn was mostly looked upon as the weakest player in the game, but if the pawn made it past all its enemies it could turn into a beautiful queen; the most powerful player on the chessboard. Starting out as a weak pawn, Chrome had turned out to be a beautiful queen as time went by. Playing her position very well while her king was gone, my attention was drawn to her even more.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, I asked her out for breakfast in the garden the first thing in the morning, and to my surprise she agreed to it as well. I was getting sick of eating together with the rest of the immature kids, so a change was needed. She was like a doll and could break anytime, so I had to play my cards carefully around her. There was some smalltalk here and then, but nothing serious. I didn't dare to ask about Mukuro the first thing in the morning. It would probably scare her away once again. The sun was high up and the heat was warming her slender shoulders. For the first time she looked peaceful and happy again. Every encounter we had in the past days turned out awkward; something came up all the time and it was starting to get on my nerves. Nothing would ruin our time now, I promised myself. She could help me with my next clue, so she was still useful. After the breakfast I asked her out to see the town with me, since I haven't been outside the Headquarter walls since we arrived Italy. She had taken some liking to me, so why not use that to my advantage?

We both changed into some more comfortable clothes that fitted the hot weather of Italy, and made our way down to the town. The streets were twice as big as in Japan, and the tall buildings looked like they were at least two hundred years old. The smell of the local food was starting to make me sick; so many different smells mixed together made my head spin. While rubbing my head I noticed her looking at me with curiosity in her eyes. Taking my time and explaining the reason to me acting this way calmly, she took my hand and dragged me quickly away from the obnoxious smell. We ended up at the local beach. People were laying around lazily and enjoying the late summer heat, while some splashed around in the lukewarm water. The big waves pulled and pushed the people around, and it actually looked like fun.

Giving away a small smile, I threated Chrome to an ice cream; the hot weather was something we weren't quiet used to and an ice cream, so cool and soft was definitely needed. Girls were like animals; if they got enough attention and cute things, they'd we happy for a long time. Finding an empty bench under one of the cherry trees, we sat down and enjoyed the now fast-melting vanilla and pistachio ice cream. Our sigh was fixed at the happy people at the beach, while our minds were; well, mine was at least, somewhere else. Recognizing the sweet aroma in the air, I snapped back to reality. Looking up, seeing the dark red fruits between the leaves, memories came rushing back again. I gave away a small smirk and got up, followed by Chrome. I wanted to see more of the town and she gladly accompanied me. Letting her have the upper hand, she took the privilege and guided me along the longs streets, explaining all that she knew about the them, the people, the buildings and other minor knowledge she had about this place. I tagged along, giving a small smile and nodding now and then, letting her know that I was listening. It seemed to me that she has studied really hard just to impress him, and I could understand her excitement.

The sun had already halfway disappeared behind the horizon, and by that time we had ended up outside the town, at something that seemed like a lake. The midday sun was smeared on the sky in red, orange and purple colors. The reflection in the water was even more beautiful. The water glittered while the evening mist surrounded the shore. It was when I noticed something floating on the water; something that I haven't been expecting at all. He and his clue weren't even close to my mind the rest of my day with Chrome, but accidentally solving it, that thought didn't even cross my mind. Evening was coming faster than what we had expected and it was getting cold already. While a smirk played on my lips, I asked if she would like to return back to the mansion for the night. My sight was fixed at the sky; the sky full of questions and answers. She replied in a soft voice and we made it back before the sun had disappeared for the night.

After escorting her for dinner with the rest of the Guardians and the friends, I almost ran up to my room; fumbling through my pocket for the room key, and making my way in. Searching and finding what I was looking for; I picked up a pair of black shorts with blue stripes and a towel from the suitcase, and packed them down into my shoulder bag. I sneaked out of the house without anyone noticing and made my way down the same path Chrome and I had returned from. Almost out of breath, I slowed down and set my course towards the lake. Time was forgotten while my head was filled with too many questions, but I was sure it took me about thirty minutes or more to find the right area. After reviewing the spot for anything that might interfere with my next step, I gradually came out to the fresh air from underneath the deep shadows. The water splashed softly against the rock hard shore, and I realized it might be a bad idea for get into the water from here. The rocks seemed to be very slippery and I wasn't in any mood for dying at the moment. Stepping back into the shadows I walked around the lake until I found a soft and sandy shore. Before walking out again, I unbuttoned my shirt, unzipped my pants and took my boxers off as well, and quickly put the shorts on before anyone could see anything. I was definitely not shy over my body, but being categorized as a pedophile for accidentally flashing myself, was something I did not want on my record. And unnecessary killing a person for such a stupid thing was not on my schedule.

Leaving the rest of my clothes as well as my bag underneath a lonely birch three, I stepped out of the shadows and onto the soft sand. The evening wind gave me small chills; I rubbed those quickly away, and waded into the dark water. The weather had been really warm today and the water was still lukewarm. Moving slowly forward, I stopped until the water had reached my waist. The sky was full of starts now and they were all reflected in the water; smeared by the moving motions of my arms in it. The light from the faraway local street was the only light source, but what caught my eye were the floating leaves on the water. The fruits of the water shone so bright; it almost took my breath away. I kicked away from my footing and began to swim; making soft arm movements that matched the movements of my feet. It felt really relaxing and somehow refreshing, this night swim of mine.

_While Hibari was busy, with his decision of which of the beautiful white lotus-lilies he should pick, Mukuro was already enjoying this new game. He had the soul of a devil and yet he was a gentleman. He knew how to take pleasure in games, and especially when his "toys" knew how to play along. A man should not be looked upon as how he looks, but as how he thinks. _

Getting out of the water, the wind blew bitterly and ripped the the leaves off the threes like it was enraged. _He had disappeared again,_ I thought to myself. Finding my clothes underneath some red leaves, I put them on and made my way out to the illuminated street. Throwing one last glance at the dark lake I hurried back to the Headquarters before the night had fallen for good.

The water dripped for every step I made though the long hallways. _Tip-tap._ It sounded like the water drops and my footsteps tried too hard to be synchronized, and yet they gave off two different beats. Once inside my room, I locked it and stepped under the hot steamy shower; slowly pulling off the shirt and the now wet pants. The flower was placed gently on the bed, while I was in a rush for something that could warm my body. The summer days in Italy could kill you with its heat, while the nights were so cold, you could think it was winter already.

Putting on a pair of clean pants and a t-shirt under a sweater, I seated down into the comfortable sofa chair next to my bed. The flower was placed on the opposite side of the room, on a table with fresh cold water in a vase. It glowed in the dark room and gave off a calm atmosphere. I lit an old candle that was placed on the work desk. It had a mix of yellow and gray colors and the scent of fresh wax. I sat there looking out of the open balcony door; out in the air, the sky, the moon. The wind played with the curtains; pulling and pushing them around. The candle flickered as the wind danced its eternal dance. The evening tonight seemed to be quite peaceful, and I decided to stay up all night and wait for his next step. I had accomplished what he wanted; I had taken his pawn and now it was his turn to play a new piece.

_The seconds turned into minutes, that again tuned into what seemed to be hours. The candle had gotten shorter, but was still burning. The wax that dripped from the candle had thickened on the mahogany table. The now fierce wind still had it's way with the curtains; pulling and ripping them apart. Hibari's plan had failed; he had fallen to rest after a long day. His arms were crossed over his chest while his breath was even and calm. _

_---_

_Mukuro let his finger slide gently over the innocent flower. With a smirk on his lips, he let out a small sight. The boy was a quick learner; and Mukuro was happy with his opponent. To Mukuro, the white lotus-lily represented a new life, a new beginning. He had been though all the six paths of hell, and the flower; so pure and innocent, was the perfect sign of a second chance._

_Placing a note; just like the others, on the table next to the vase, Mukuro sat down at the bed and looked pleased at the full moon through the balcony entrance. _It was indeed a beautiful and soothing evening,_ Mukuro thought to himself. He supported his head on his arm while looking at Hibari's angelic face. The boy had quiet a temper, but Mukuro's plan was to tame him. _

_---_

_As the aroma of his fragrance spread with the wind, his words were the only thing left behind. He had; once again, disappeared just like the shadow he was. Mukuro's calm whispers echoed over and over again, until they too had faded away together with his presence. Hibari was still sleeping comfortably in his chair, not noticing that the biggest danger had just flown by him like a butterfly. _

_The king had given his order; he had made his move. The graceful queen was; after all, still playing by the king's rules. Certainly, loyal to her king, she had even managed to deceive the genius of her king's enemy. The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent. What if the opponent was the only genius of his kind? Then you had to play by his rules and yet develop a way to deceive him without him noticing. In the end this whole game will only have one outcome; Returning an illusion with an illusion, means you've completely lost control of all your senses. Therefore, as the brain is frozen, by counter attack after counter attack with illusions, the body is the only mechanism that is still usable. _

_When the most advanced strategy has failed,the game isn't in your head anymore; it becomes a physical fight. Then it's up to both of the contestants to decide the outcome of this physical game. Innocent games tend to turn into violent games with unpleasant outcomes, but yet again, the body is the only mechanism that decided what action to take. We change our mind all the time, so it's hard to rely on it for too long. _

_This game, Mukuro and Hibari are playing, had just turned into a physical fight. Both were deceiving each other and in the end none of them knew what started all this. Confusion after confusion has yet again caused a mental breakdown. The secret clue has yet to be opened, or will this game drive it's players to desperate measures?_

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_Most of you probably think that this chapter is weird, but first of all, I wanted to have Hibari act nice and, yet be the "I'm so badass"-bastard that he is. And in my head, Chrome has grown up, but she's still held onto her love(?) for Mukuro. And for those who probably wonder why I made Hibari swim in the middle of the night; The thing is, I just wanted to have him take an alone midnight swim, with so much prettiness around. *coughmistcough* _

_And, as for my ending; I thought it was about time Mukuro did something else, besides just sit back and watch the game. Oh, and did I mention that I might turn this into some lovey-dovey (posible yaoi) - kind of story? *is shot*  
For the long ending; if you didn't get it then basically this is what it means: _

**Hibari and Mukuro are playing and both try to trick the other, but in the end none of them know who's right or wrong, or who's winning or losing. So instead of using their confused heads, they're gonna man-up and do some physical work. **_*coughawesomehotnesscough* _

_Anyway, I realized that Chapter 3 got so few review, and I'm unsure if I should post another chapter after this. It's really hard to know what people want, like, dislike when no one says a thing. I believe the review button is there so other people can give ideas to the writer and support. ;A;_


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